Shoulder springboard device



Oct. 13, 1970 M. H. CLARK snouwmz sramesomn DEVICE Filed July 28, 1967INVENTOR United States Patent ice 3,533,621 SHOULDER SPRINGBOARD DEVICEMaurice H. Clark, 969 High St., Bath, Maine 04530 Filed July 28, 1967,Ser. No. 656,876 Int. Cl. A63b /18 US. Cl. 272-66 7 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE An aquatic diving device worn on the shoulders of anadult to provide a diving platform or spring board for young people fromwhich they are able to dive into the water including a harness to securethe device, toehold means to enable the user to climb to the platformand a spring propelling means to propel the user off of the platforminto the water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an aquaticamusement device and more particularly to a shoulder spring diver deviceadapted to be worn on the shoulders of an adult from which a child maydive into water.

Because of more leisure time and expanded recreational facilities,people are taking active participation in sporting activities. This isparticularly true with respect to water sports at pools, lake resortsand the ocean beaches. Diving facilities at the pools and lake resortsadd to the enjoyment of the water. However, unlike the pools and lakeresorts, the ocean beaches are not provided with diving equipment.Consequently children are often seen being picked up by adults andplayfully tossed into the ocean surf in place of diving into the waterfrom diving equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a shoulder springdiver which is adapted to fill the need for diving facilities for youngchildren at the ocean beaches. The diver device is a lightweight harnessstructure, adapted to be worn on theshoulders of an adult, and includesa diving platform, formed of a flat surface at the shoulder level on thedevice from which a child may dive into the water. The device furtherincludes steps integrally formed in the rearward portion of the diver topermit the child to climb to the diving platform at the adults shoulderlevel. A spring means is also provided to force the diving platformupward to add to the force propelling the child into the water.

Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of anaquatic amusement device adapted to be worn by an adult and used by achild as a diving platform; the provision of a diver device havingintegral propelling means to propel a user into the water; and'theprovision of a diver device adapted to be worn on the shoulders havingintegral stepping means to enable the user to reach the diving platformarea and dive therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theinvention as it is normally used;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail of FIG. 1.

3,533,621 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTReferring to the drawings, the diver device 10 is adapted to be worn onthe shoulders of an adult person standing in water to form. a flatdiving surface from which a child may dive into the water.

Structurally the device 10 is formed of a lightweight yet durable andfirm material which is preferably buoyant in nature and able towithstand weights of up to 100 pounds. The device comprises a bodysection 12, shoulder supports 14 and a neck-support 16 which arepreferably contoured to fit the wearer. The body section 12 and shouldersupports 14 are provided with loop holes 18 and hooks 20 which areadapted to engage a harness 22 which secures the device 10 to thewearer. A diving platform 24 is pivotally supported by pins 26 above theshoulder section 14 to form a substantially flat surface upon which achild may stand. The diving platform 24 is formed to fit around the necksupport 16 so as to provide two foot support areas 28 and 30 havingroughened surfaces to make them non-slippery. The diving platform 24further includes a raised edge 32 which further reduces the danger of achilds foot accidentally slipping from the foot support areas 28 and 30.

The diving platform 24 is provided with cylindrical arcuate shaped posts34 and 36 which are adapted to telescopically fit into arcuate holes 38and 40 formed in the body section 12 of the device 10. As illustrated inmore detail in FIG. 6, each hole is provided with springs 42 and 44which include a flat bearing plate 46 interposed between the end of thespring and the arcuate post which acts as a bearing surface to providepressure against the posts by means of the upward spring force. Theholes 38 and 40 are provided with holes 48 and 50 to drain away excesswater that accumulates therein.

The diving platform 24 may be secured against movement of the springforce by a wing nut 52 which is threadedly engaged with the body section12 through a slotted extension 54 of the diving platform.

The body section 12 is provided with a plurality of steps 56 integrallyformed in the rear of the device 10 which extend downwardly from thediving platform 24 to aid the user climbing onto the diving platform 24.

In operation the wearer of the diver device 10 is standing in the water.A child climbs up to the diving platform by means of the steps 56. Thechilds weight compresses the posts 34 and 36 into the holes 38 and 40against the for of the springs 42 and 44. As the child dives forwardlyfrom the diving platform 24, the tension on the springs 42 and 44 isreleased which adds a propelling force to the feet of the diver. Thesize of the springs may be varied to provide a stronger or weakerpropelling force. The wing nuts 52 may be tightened against the slottedextension to eliminate the spring propelling force.

It will be appreciated that the above description is illustrative onlyand many structural modifications may be made to the specific embodimentdescribed above without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An aquatic device worn by a first person to enable a second person todive into water comprising a rigid surface providing a diving platformfrom which said second person may dive and means to support said divingsurface on the shoulders of said first person, said support meanscomprising a body section fitted to the wearer, an extension adapted tofit over the shoulders of said wearer and means to secure said supportmeans to said wearer, and means to propel said diving platform upwardlyto aid a divers motion into the water.

2. The aquatic diving device of claim 1 wherein said propelling meansincludes a spring means mounted in said support section adapted toengage projections on said fiat diving surface whereby the momentaryremoval of a divers weight from said diving platform surface releasessaid spring means and forces said diving surface upwardly.

3. The aquatic diving device of claim 2 wherein said spring means aremounted in cylindrical cavities in said support sections and saidprojections on said fiat diving surface are cylindrical posts adapted tofit into said cavities and bear against said spring means.

4. The aquatic diving device of claim 3 including a means to drain saidcylindrical cavities to prevent a buildup of water therein.

5. The aquatic diving device of claim 4 wherein said means to aid a userto mount onto said flat diving surface comprises a set of stepsintegrally formed in the support means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,417 2/1925 Goldsmith 223,146,461 9/1964 Kavanagh 22 1,273,687 7/1918 Stebbing 9-339 1,373,4234/ 1921 Gruhl 27225 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner T. BROWN,Assistant Examiner

